Lake Destiny
by Celeste38
Summary: A "What if" story. *On temporary hiatus*
1. Chapter 1

It took a moment for Goofy to realize that he was awake, as he found himself staring mindlessly at the alarm clock beside his bed. Remembering the fragmented nightmare he had been experiencing minutes earlier, a nightmare he was accustomed to having at this time of the year.

It was 7:43 a.m.

June 16th, 1998

Oh how he hated, and dreaded, this day.

Reluctantly, the skinny anthropomorphic dog pushed himself out of bed and went into the bathroom to shower. He couldn't tell how hot or cold the water was, and didn't care. He was simply following a routine, but his mind wasn't in it…not on this day.

Shortly afterwards he was dressed in fresh clothes and making his way across the upstairs hall, stopping momentarily to look into his son's bedroom.

It was a mess, which was typical for a teenage boy. But it brought a small, haunted, smile to the father's face before he continued on to the stairway.

Making a beeline to the den; walking throughout the house like a zombie, he sought out the bookcase on the left side of the room, pulling out one of the photo albums sitting there to leaf through. All the while ignoring his stomach's growls for breakfast; he was in no mood for food preparation today.

Goofy had no idea how much time had passed as he looked through the photos, he was lost in his own memories.

The next thing he became aware of was a familiar pounding on his front door, the muffled sound of a demanding voice soon followed. He wasn't surprised to see his neighbor, friend, and business partner towering in the doorway with a 6-pack in his large hand.

Pete's eyes were somber as he shifted his shoulder towards the massive truck parked in the driveway. "Come on, Goof."

They drove around town for a while, talking about what was on their minds before they finally made it to their destination.

Goofy knew his way well in this place, as much as he wished he didn't, and soon found himself standing in front of the object of his misery.

Here Lies Maximilian "Max" Goof

Loving Son, Cherished Friend, Talented Youth

October 27, 1980 – June 16, 1995

Tears swelled up in the dog's eyes, while his friend sympathetically passed him over a bottle of beer.

Time passed, and they were soon joined by Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, and Daisy Duck. Each of whom had a beer, spoke kindly of the teenager whose life had been ripped away all too soon, and offered compassion to their grieving friend.

It was 7:43 p.m.

June 16th, 1998

Three years since Goofy G. Goof watched his son plummet to his death off of a mountainous waterfall during the father/son bonding trip to Lake Destiny, Idaho.

Oh, how he hated this day.


	2. Chapter 2

**_No, this story is not a one-shot! I present to you, Chapter 2! To those who have been reading it, I hope you enjoy it so far and please review. I do not own any of the Disney characters featured in this story._**

* * *

Jason Marpole absentmindedly brushed a hand across his forehead; his fingers trailing over the light scar near his left temple as he stared out the passenger seat window. Watching with little interest as the scenery whizzed by in colorful blurs. Nervousness bubbling in his gut at the thought of what lay ahead of him; mingled with the undying thoughts of what was being left behind.

"This is the beginning of a new chapter of our lives." His mother commented as she drove, giving him a warm and reassuring smile. "A fresh start is just what we need!"

"Yeah…sure." The teen replied half-heartedly, glancing over to the woman that he gladly addressed as his mother.

Sylvia Marpole was a kind and virtuous woman; who had gone through a lot in the past few years. She had balanced school with work, which was a struggle of its own. Then, after long and exhausting days she had often found herself arguing with her increasingly angry husband. He boiled in his jealousy and insecurities, and when Jason had arrived in their lives that fury excelled to a new level. For Sylvia's attention was being drawn elsewhere.

His verbal attacks began early on after the boy came into the picture, and were soon followed by heavy drinking and a swift blow with his backhand. The resulting miscarriage was a devastating moment for the dutiful wife, and a wake up call showing her that she no longer knew nor loved the man she had married all those years ago.

Sylvia and Jason took immediate action against their tormentor. For the next few months they had to endure the tiresome process of legal procedures, a time when the two supported and comforted each other with encouragements of staying strong. A time where they bonded even more, and came to the understanding that moving was the best thing they could do if they wanted to move on with their lives and forget the past.

"Our stuff won't be arriving until tomorrow morning." Sylvia reminded her son as their car made its way through the unfamiliar town towards their new home. "So, you could explore a little if you wanted to. Maybe even find a job."

"No problem, I don't see why not." Jason agreed with a glance up at the ceiling of the vehicle. "My bike's on the roof, I could go for a ride after we eat dinner."

Although he was admittedly nervous, a natural feeling for one to have when arriving in a new place, the teen found himself to be very excited as well.

His social life had disintegrated a little during the many trips to court for the divorce and restraining order; and although he had managed to keep in touch with a couple of his close friends, the idea of making new ones was a welcoming thought. Jason loved meeting new people, and enjoyed hearing about their experiences. From the looks of it, this was a nice little town. He couldn't wait to become a part of it.

"_It'll nice fitting in, once and for all, in my own life…_" He mused with a small smile, putting his hand out of the open window and letting the warm summer air tickle at his fingers.

Shortly after that, the mother and son arrived at their new home.

After letting themselves in, ordering take-out, and enjoying their meal together, Jason strode back to the car to take off his bicycle. The sun was setting, but that didn't concern the teenager in the slightest as he turned on the small headlight attached at the front. Its beam was steady, thanks to fresh batteries, and in mere moments he was ready for his quick trek across town.

The leaves in the trees seemed to be waving at him as he rode by them; the sunset was like something out of a painting with red and oranges mixing together in wondrous beauty. Jason took both of these sights as a joyous symbol of things to come. A fresh start, a new life, a chance to let go of the past freely and just enjoy himself; all of which he had been desperately wishing for the last few years.

Flashing lights as he approached downtown caught the teenager's attention. He looked ahead to see the large, bold, neon lights of what appeared to be the local club.

"_The House of Mouse_" Jason read with a shiver of anticipation and nervousness. "_Sounds promising, it's worth checking out for a job._"

* * *

"Dude, that so doesn't go there!" Dewey squawked in annoyance as his identical siblings. 

Huey and Louie both stopped and glared at their brother, their own annoyance was noticeable.

The triplets were in the process of unloading their band equipment and setting it up inside the club, the blue and red clad brothers had been doing the heavy lifting while the one in green was giving the orders. This was the third time he had interrupted their work to rearrange the setup on stage.

"You two still don't have the floor toms in the right places!"

"Hey, Dew? Shut it!" Huey hollered in frustration, getting fed up with the increasingly anal commands of his brother.

Louie nodded his head in agreement as he took off his baseball cap to wipe his brow. "Yeah bro, you're getting way too picky about all this. If you keep screeching at us every two seconds to rearrange stuff, we'll never get the work done."

"Uh…excuse me?"

The trio all looked over to the owner of the voice, a tall teenage anthropoorphic dog with mid-neck length wavy hair. There was something familiar about the way he looked, although all three of them were positive they had never seen him around town before.

"Sorry to interrupt." The boy continued with a friendly grin. "I'm new in town, just getting myself familiar with the popular hangouts and stuff."

"If you're looking for hot spots, you've come to the right place!" Huey replied with a friendly smile of his own, reaching out his hand to the older teenager. "Name's Huey Duck and these here are my brothers Louie and Dewey; we live in the next town over, but do a lot of our gigs here."

The other teenager took the anthropomorphic duck's hand and gave it a friendly shake. "Jason Marpole, it's nice to meet you. You guys have a great set from the looks of it, how long have you played?"

"Only a couple of years, but we're getting there." Dewey piped up, "We're lucky Uncle Donald's friend gave us the job, Mickey's a nice guy."

"All we really need right now is a guitar player and we'd be all set." Louie added with a hopeful look in his eyes. "You wouldn't happen to play, would you?"

"Ah, sorry but I don't." Jason said with an apologetic smile as he shook the boy's hand. "I'm actually a piano player, but even then I'm still just a rookie."

"Oh well, it didn't hurt to ask." Louie replied, pointing toward the club door. "Wanna help us with this stuff; I'll buy ya a soda."

Before Jason could give his answer, an older duck came through the club doors. His attention solely on the triplets, he didn't even seem to notice that someone else was even there.

"Boys, what's taking you so long to set up?" He asked in his hard to understand voice. "The club's about ready to open!"

"Don't sweat it, Uncle Donald." Huey said smoothly, rolling his eyes a little as he spoke. "We were just getting acquainted with the new kid in town, that's all."

As his other two nephews nodded in agreement with their brother, Donald turned his attention to the teenager in question. His jaw dropped in shock, rendering him speechless.

"Uncle Donald?"

"Hellooooo?!

"Hey guys, he's frozen!"

"Is your uncle always like this?"

"Eh, he can be a little weird sometimes…"

The trio turned their attention back to Jason, Huey and Louie got on each side of the older teenager as the three of them lead him into the club. "Don't worry about him, Jase. Let's just finish bringing in the equipment and get that soda for you like we promised; right, bros?"

While the group of boys got on with their work, Donald Duck snapped out of his shock and scrambled back inside the club. Frantically making his way backstage to the staff break room, oblivious to his surroundings.

* * *

Mickey Mouse was humming happily to himself as he looked over the night's schedule, satisfied with the entertainment they had lined up. His happy bubble burst with confusion as his best friend can barreling into the room talking frantically, so worked up that the mouse couldn't make out a word he was saying. 

"Whoa, slow down Donald!"

Minnie and Daisy, who had been sitting in the corner fixing each other's make-up, both got up and joined their husbands. Just as curious as Mickey was to know what was going on.

Donald, still frantic, grabbed Mickey and Daisy's wrists and dragged them out of the room and into the main part of the club. Determined to show them what he was trying to say, frustrated that he couldn't calm down enough to be verbally understandable.

He caught sight of the teenagers coming into the club, and pointed a shaky finger at them.

"Donald?" Mickey began in question as his eyes trailed from his friend's arm toward the doorway. "W-what?!"

The mouse was speechless, as were the two women.

Standing in the doorway, laughing with Donald and Daisy's three nephews, was a frighteningly familiar figure, a boy who bore a strong resemblance to their friend Goofy's dead son…Max Goof.

* * *

**_Just to set a few things straight, this fanfic is cannon with "A Goofy Movie" alone. It is not cannon with "Goof Troop" (which I personally feel the movie isn't cannon with, and only borrowed characters from), "Quack Pack", or "The House of Mouse". I'm simply borrowing some qualities of each (the town name from "Goof Troop", the teenage triplets from "Quack Pack", and the establishment of "The House of Mouse" from the show with the same name). Mickey Mouse and his wife Minnie (yes, wife. Donald and Daisy are married too) own and run the House of Mouse. Goofy and Pete still work in the photography business, and co-own an establishment for it._**


	3. Chapter 3

The club was bustling with customers, which was always a sight that brought a smile to Mickey Mouse's face…but tonight was different. Tonight he had a new waiter working the floors, zipping about from table to table on his roller-blades with ease. An 18 year-old by the name of Jason Marpole, who bore quite a resemblance to his good friend's dead son.

The anniversary of Max Goof's fatal accident had come and gone just a few months ago, and Mickey couldn't help but wonder if he and his friends' fresh grief was the cause of the resemblance they saw in the two boys. Was it all just in their heads? If the boy had arrived in town a month sooner, or even a month later, would the similarity have been so strong? Would it have even been there at all?

As the mouse pondered over his internal debate his friend Donald approached him, the duck's eye was also following the new waiter wearily. "Mickey…"

The club owner snapped out of his thoughts and looked at his friend; his eyes scanning over the club to be sure things were in order. Daisy, Donald's perky as always wife, was currently on stage telling the audience her latest tips in the kitchen. He could see Minnie making her way towards her friend as the duck began to wrap up her segment, preparing to announce the play that would begin showing tonight. The theater productions always topped off the evening's events at the club; they were the main attraction that the club members couldn't get enough of.

A friendly prod from Donald brought Mickey's attention back to him. He wasn't surprised to see his friend's feathers ruffled with worry.

"What's the matter, Donald?" Mickey asked, concerned.

"Oh, Mickey!" The duck began to wail with worry as he looked over at the teenager serving their customers. "How are we gonna tell Goofy about him? Who knows how he'll react to seeing that kid!"

The mouse nodded his head in agreement, that had been a concern of his as well. He had been trying to find out how the break the news to Goofy, and had hung up the phone half a dozen times in the process. How do you tell someone there's someone in town that looks like their dead son?

"He's working late tonight with Pete at their photo shop," Mickey began. "So he won't be stopping in tonight, he won't get the chance to catch sight of Jason…"

Donald sighed with relief, grateful that they wouldn't have to worry about the two coming face to face tonight. The duck was easily frazzled, he didn't know if he had it in him to deal with the outcome of that situation. "But what about tomorrow, surely you aren't going to hide this kid from him?"

"Of course not," Mickey insisted in slight annoyance. "I'll tell him before then…I just can't seem to bring myself to do it over the phone. It wouldn't be fair for me to do that to Goofy, if I'm gonna tell him this then I should do it in person!"

"I'll go with you; we could go to the shop and wait for Goofy to finish up."

The mouse smiled at his friend, "Thanks Don."

The lights in the club dimmed more, until it was pitch black. A spotlight shown on the stage as Minnie took the mic and smiled at the audience. "All righty folks," She declared dramatically with a smile on her face. "It's time for the show! Tonight's performance is 'Oliver'! Enjoy!"

The duck and mouse exchanged looks as they made their way backstage to inform their wives of their plan. They'd need the girls to run the place and close up while they were gone. A task that neither woman had a problem with as they smiled at their husbands supportively, wishing they could go with them to talk with Goofy…but knowing that it was something that shouldn't wait.

As they were making their way out, Mickey caught a glimpse of Jason sitting at the bar watching the play with a smile on his face while keeping an eye on the customers in case any of them wanted to order a snack or beverage. The mouse stared at the boy, pleased with his dedication to his work, and then made his way out the door into the brisk autumn evening.

* * *

Sylvia hummed softly to herself as she rolled out the sleeping bags for herself and her son, thrilled that he was able to find a job so soon. She had never expected him to go out and do that their first night in town, but that was just the way he was.

Jason was a good kid.

The woman thought about the hardships the teenager had been through, and felt her chest swell with pride even more. He didn't let his past get to him, didn't let it destroy him from the inside out as she had feared he would one day do. He was a vibrant young man, and tried to keep a good out look on life no matter what.

Words couldn't describe how happy that made her.

It was as if the last hellish year for them had never happened. As if Bradley Uppercrust, her now ex-husband, had never been a part of her life. He certainly hadn't been for the last three years, not the Bradley she had known. The charming and sophisticated man she had originally fallen in love with had morphed into an uptight and jealous fool, who quickly took a hand to her whenever she crossed him. His breath smelling more and more of his precious expensive liquor, what a monster he had become!

But now, he was far away from them. Back in the busy and chaotic city continuing to live in the rich lifestyle she was happy to leave behind. She was rich herself, having inherited her family's business, but she didn't need to stay locked up in the cramped city to run it. Country life, being a part of a content community, suited her just fine.

And it was just what a young man like Jason needed.

Sylvia looked at her watch, noticing it was close to 10pm now. The show being performed at the club her son was working at would be ending soon, and she suspected he would be home within the next hour. With a pleased smile, she got up and turned on the front light.

Waiting patiently for her son to come home and tell her of his day, eager to see his smiling face.

* * *

"W-what?"

Donald watched his two friends, shifting uncomfortably from foot to foot on the sidelines next to Pete. Inching further and further away from the giant of a cat as the two of them watched the confrontation unfold.

There was an uncomfortable silence.

"There's some teenager in town that looks like my boy?"

Mickey stared up at his friend's face, understanding the man's confusion and grief. "Yes, yes Goofy there is. He came into my club tonight with Donald's nephews looking for a job…and, I gave it to him."

The dog stared off at nothing, his mind swirling with this shocking news.

"We all thought it would be best to tell you about him before you ran into him in town." The mouse continued, worry creeping into his tone. "Max's anniversary was just last week; we didn't know how it would affect you if you saw this kid without any warning!"

Donald stepped forward supportively, "We were pretty freaked out ourselves!"

Pete rolled his eyes at the duck's unhelpful declaration, positive that it wasn't making his friend feel any better. He stared at Goofy, wanting to be supportive but unsure of what he should say. He was never good at handling situations like these, and didn't know how he'd react if he had been in his best friend's place.

The distant look that began developing on the dog's forlorn face was starting to unnerve him. "Hey! Goof, snap out of it!"

Mickey shot the cat a glare as Goofy shook his head and looked at his friends. Grateful for the support that each of them were trying to give him, honestly unsure of what he should think about all of this. "Thanks, Pete."

His large friend smiled, and nodded his head silently in acknowledgment before returning Mickey's glare.

After a moment, Goofy spoke again. "I want to see him."

Donald and Mickey exchanged unsure glances, while Pete continued standing in silence…although his uncertainty was also apparent.

"It's kind of late, Goofy." The duck pointed out, "And this is a lot to take in in one night."

"Yeah," The mouse agreed with a concerned look on his face. "Don't you think it would be best if you waited a day or two to let it sink in before you go look at him?"

"Gimme a break!" Pete roared in annoyance. "If da Goof want's to see this kid tonight, then don't get in his way!"

The two shrank back at the cat's outburst, while Goofy got between the three of them. "Hey fellas, it's alright! Y'all don't need to be bickering with each other on account of me; y'all just trying to help."

He smiled at each of them, but didn't let his determination waver. "I understand why you guys are worried…but, I just gotta see him for myself."


	4. Chapter 4

Jason finished washing off the tables as the last of the customers left the club, not satisfied until each glass surface shined. Once he finished he made his way over to the triplets, who were lounging at the bar with fresh glasses of cherry cola waiting for him.

"That was a good show tonight!" The teenager said enthusiastically as he joined his new friends, gladly grabbing the soda that Dewey offered him and taking a gulp. "How many nights do they do shows?"

Huey glanced over at the stage as he chewed on some of his ice, "They do shows every weekend." He explained as he swallowed, cringing at the brain freeze he got from doing it so fast. "Ow…Anyway, the shows are done by the two Drama groups at St. Canard-Duckburg-Mouseton Community High. One week one group performs, and then the next week it's the other group's turn."

"When do they do the rehearsals?" Jason asked as he took a sip of his own drink, engrossed in the topic.

"They do rehearsals for an hour and a half Monday through Fridays after school…Ya thinking of doing double time and being a performer too, that's sweet!" Louie exclaimed with a thumbs up. "Mickey'll love to hear that, let him know next time you see him!"

"I always did love acting…" The other teenager replied, glancing around the nearly empty club. "Speaking of Mr. Mouse…where is he?"

"I thought I saw him leave with Uncle Donald." Dewey told him with a yawn, stretching a little as he stood up. "Minnie and Aunt Daisy must have wanted them to do an errand or something."

"You have any cash on you?" Louie asked Jason as they got off their stools as well.

"Yeah, why do you ask?"

"We could go into the city and hit the malls there, or maybe even hit the dance clubs!" The duck replied with a grin, putting a hand on the dog's shoulder to lead him out of the club. "We can leave your bike and the band equipment here tonight since we don't have any other gigs coming up. Well, besides the ones we do here…"

"You could even crash at our place for the night, over in Duckburg." Huey offered, realizing how late they could be staying out. "I'm sure Uncle Scrooge won't mind, it's not like he doesn't have enough space!" He looked at his brothers, both of whom nodded in agreement. "Wait here while I call Bubba and Gene to see if they want to meet us in St. Canard."

Jason looked at his watch, "I think I'll take you guys up on your offer to sleep over." He said as he followed Huey to the payphone. "I'll call my mom and let her know what's going on; I don't want her to worry."

As the two teenagers made their phone calls, Mickey and Donald walked with Goofy and Pete back to the House of Mouse. The air was tense between the group as they approached the club, all uneasy with the idea of coming face to face with the teenager. Mickey only hoped that Goofy took the sight of the boy well, concerned on how the encounter would affect his friend.

"It's probably just our imaginations getting the best of us so soon after…after his anniversary." The mouse tried to explain as they got closer and closer to the building, looking up at the dog's nervous face.

"I wouldn't doubt it…" Pete added in an attempt to console his best friend, "I guarantee you got nothing to get upset over."

Donald mumbled something incomprehensible as he shot a glare up at the cat, feeling the feline's statement to be unhelpful despite his best intentions. His feather's ruffled a little when he heard one of his nephews calling to him, catching sight of two of them standing outside the club entryway.

"Hey, Uncle Donald!" Louie yelled with a wave while Dewey leafed through their combined cash. "We're going to go out with Bubba, Gene, and the new kid for a while."

Huey came through the door to give his brothers a thumbs up in regards to their adopted cousins joining them, peeking back into the club to look for their friend.

"How late are you boys planning on staying out?" The older duck asked the teenagers sternly, temporarily forgetting the uncomfortable situation he was in.

"Aw, not too long Uncle D." Dewey said smoothly as he handed the money back to his brother, putting his share into his coat pocket. "Maybe until one o'clock…?" He asked casually, his charming grin having no effect on his uncle.

"Are you kidding me? No!" Donald argued, huffing a little. "I'd never hear the end of it from Daisy!"

"So that means…" The teenager pushed hopefully as his two brothers gathered around him to assault their uncle with pleading faces.

"…No later than midnight," The older duck agreed reluctantly. Smiling a little as he watched the boys he thought of as his own sons give each other triumphant high-fives.

Goofy smiled a little too at the sight of his friend with his family, remembering what it had been like with Max. Then he froze on the spot when he caught sight of Jason as the teenager walked out of the club, greeting his new friends while oblivious to the dumbstruck looks on the faces of the new arrivals.

"Mom said it was okay with her for me to crash at your place tonight." He told them with a grin.

"Crash at…" Donald started to repeat, glaring at his nephews. "You boys never said anything about a sleepover!"

"Uncle Scrooge said it was fine when I asked him on the phone." Huey piped up, earning looks of approval from his brothers. He noticed his uncle's friend, confused by the expression the dog had on his face. "Hey Goofy, are you feeling okay? You look like you've seen a ghost!"

The adult snapped out of his daze and chuckled a little in embarrassment. "Aw, I'm fine Huey. Just been a long night at the store, that's all." He glanced over at the newcomer, unsure of what to think of the boy. There really was a strong resemblance between him and Max. "So, you're new in town huh?"

"Oh, yeah we just moved in tonight." Jason replied, running a hand through his messy hair with a feeling of nervousness he didn't understand. There was something about the awkward adult in front of him that seemed familiar to him, yet he didn't know why.

After a moment, he reached out and gave Goofy a strong handshake. "Name's Jason, it's nice to meet you!"

"It's…it's nice to meet you too, Jason"

Pete watched the two shake hands, startled by what he saw. There was a look of confusion that passed in the teenager's eyes for a moment, along with a momentary look of recognition. Looks that faded as the two released their hands and the boy joined his friends after giving the group of adults a polite goodbye.

The large cat may have been able to let the incident he had just witnessed pass…if it weren't for the fact that this kid looked identical to Goofy's dead son.

"_Dat was just plain odd._" He thought to himself as he watched the teenagers pile into one of the triplet's cars, having attached Jason's bike to the back, and drive off towards St. Canard.

* * *

Bradly Uppercrust paced impatiently in the large office he was currently in, throwing a glace at his wrist watch every few seconds. He had a tight schedule this evening, and was infuriated that his contact was taking so long to arrive.

Suddenly, the door burst open.

In walked a tall, well-dressed rooster. His beak was seemingly made of metal, and flashed with his devilish grin. Unfortunately for him, his associate was in no mood for smiles.

"Where the hell have you been?" Bradly hissed lowly, glaring at the F.O.W.L. agent standing before him. Muttering angrily to himself as he went to his desk and sat down in its large chair, opening the drawer to his left and removing a thick bundle from inside. "I'm a very busy man, Agent Steelbeak. I shouldn't have to remind you of that."

"Oh, my deepest apologies!" The rooster crooned with a dramatic bow, the confident grin never leaving his face. "I'm sure I don't need to remind you of my own, much busier and complicated, schedule to keep to." He straightened and gave a sinister glare to the businessman. "Don't be foolish enough to think that your little wallet means anything to the Higher Ups, Brad. They can easily take it all away you know."

The aristocrat shrank back at the threat, fully aware of what happened to those who crossed F.O.W.L…regardless of how they contributed to the organization.

The Uppercrust family had been one of the many silent partners to the criminal organization for generations. However, payment to the group was no guarantee of security if you crossed them. Bradly had heard the rare news reports regarding the suspicious deaths of his fellow First Class society members, he was no fool.

But right now, he needed a favor.

"I'm sorry for offending you, Steelbeak." He said in a calmer voice, sighing with frustration. "It's been a long day, old friend, and I've had a lot on my mind."

"Aw, no sweat" The agent replied with a less-threatening smirk. "I just like screwing with ya!" He sat down on the edge of the desk and began to fiddle with the various nick-knacks within his reach. "So, old buddy old pal, what is it that you need assistance with this time?"

"Sylvia."

The bird groaned with a roll of his eyes as he stood up again. "Brad, oh Brad. Give up on her, she's not worth it!"

"Oh, but she is." The wealthy dog replied as he clasped his hands together. "She's mine, whether she likes it or not…and I want her back."

"I don't think she wants to come back, thus the restraining order she made against you."

Bradly growled angrily at the remark. "I'm going to win her back, no matter what the cost!" He took the bundle off the desk and tossed it to Steelbeak. "I have a favor to ask of you, old friend…"


	5. Chapter 5

**I've re-uploaded Chapters 1, 3, and 4 to fix some minor mistakes I made that were brought to my attention, and now I can present to you Chapter 5! It's a bit short, and I do apologize for that considering how long you readers had to wait for this one. I just couldn't seem to make this chapter work for me, and no matter how hard I tried I couldn't find a way to make it any longer than this. It's a bit of a filler, a set up chapter. I do intend on having Chapter 6 be much longer than this, but since I've begun working on all my fics again (and have started gearing up to write a few new ones)...I can't say when the next update will be. I'm hoping I can get to it a lot sooner than I got to Chapter 5. **

**Please enjoy this tiny chappie, and once again I'm sorry for the long wait!**

* * *

Pete pulled his truck into the driveway of his family's three-bedroom home, his mind still going over the strange encounter between his best friend and the new kid in town. He shook his head in a mixture of frustration and exhaustion, yawing as he did so, and then made his way towards the side entrance of the house. Noticing the kitchen light was on; he wondered who was still awake. Usually, both his wife and son were in bed by now…

Peg was waiting for him in her seat at the kitchen table when he unlocked the door and walked in; holding two steaming mugs in front of her and an ecstatic grin on her face. To see his wife so suspiciously cheery made the man uneasy, and he couldn't help but wonder if she was about to ask him to do something he wouldn't enjoy…like inviting her mother over for dinner. "…Hi?"

"Guess what?"

"Do I really want to know?" He asked himself under his breath, while presenting a false look of anticipation onto his face. "What?"

The woman looked like she was going to burst from excitement, increasing her husband's unease. Pete frowned, tired of waiting for her answer. "Well?!"

"I'm pregnant!" Peg shrieked with a happy giggle, getting up from her chair to give the dumbstruck man before her a crushing hug. "I found out today when I went for my check-up, I couldn't wait to tell you. Oh, isn't this wonderful?"

Pete let out a joyful laugh. Both relieved that the news didn't involve his mother-in-law, and excited by what his wife had told him. Despite his annoyance with many of the children he had to take pictures of for family albums, the cat did enjoy being a father and loved the idea of having another child running around his house.

His mind then wandered to the couple's only child, who was now in his senior year of high school. "Does the boy know?"

Peg smiled sheepishly as she pulled away from her husband's embrace, reaching for the two mugs on the table and handing one to him. "No…not yet, I wanted to tell you first. He's asleep now anyway, it'll have to wait until morning."

The large cat thought about Jason, wondering how his son would react to seeing the new kid. Recalling how hard the boy had taken the news of his best friend's death. "There's something I need to tell him too…"

* * *

"This is a pretty sweet car you've got here." Jason commented as the convertible sped over the world famous bridge connecting Duckburg to St. Canard, enjoying the feel of the wind blowing wildly through his hair.

"My car's better." Dewey piped up with a laugh as he tried to avoid a slap upside the head from Louie; whose car it was. The smirk on his face faded when he glanced back at his friend and caught sight of something he hadn't noticed earlier. "Wow, wicked scar man!"

Huey, who was setting next to the teenager in question, followed his brother's gaze and whistled at the sight of the jagged mark near his friend's left temple. "Wicked indeed…how did you get that little beauty?"

Jason ran his fingers over it, a habit of his, and frowned at the question. "I…don't know to be honest. I've had it for as long as I can remember…maybe even longer."

Curiosity gripped the brothers at their friend's cryptic words.

The young dog, realizing that various questions were about to be relentlessly thrown at him and not really feeling comfortable at that moment to address them, was quick to change the subject before it was even fully brought up. "This city is Darkwing Duck's turf, right? You guys ever catch sight of him?"

The flurry of comments and remarks that followed the innocent question quickly drowned out the mystery of the scar, and Jason was instead treated to a wide variety of tales regarding the vigilante as the small group of friends located the closest open mall. Forming the beginnings of what was likely to be a strong friendship between the four of them.

* * *

Goofy lay in his bed, staring up at the ceiling, letting his mind wander back to his encounter with Jason Marpole.

The dog found himself recalling the little details about the boy's features that were similar to his son's, and yet he ended up noticing all the differences between the two as well. The new kid's build was more muscular, he had different taste in clothes, and he had an air of confidence to him that Max had lacked.

"_His hair's a little longer than Maxie's was too_…" The grieving father reflected, rolling over onto his side to stare blankly at the clock on his bedside table. His eyes began to droop with sleepiness as he continued to compare the two in his mind, before stopping with a sigh of defeat. Realizing what he was putting himself through, and how unhealthy it was for him in the long run.

"_Comparing the two won't do anybody any good_." He grumbled to himself, as he gave in to his fatigue and allowed his eyes to close. "_No matter how much this Jason kid looks like Maxie, that's not going to bring my boy back from the dead…_"

It wasn't long before Goofy fell into a fitful sleep; with the vivid memories that had haunted him for the last few years plaguing his dreams. As always whenever he revisited this nightmare, he tried desperately to change the horrific outcome. Only to watch his son's life slip from his grasp, just as it had those few years ago…


End file.
